From Internet of Things to the Internet of Me, what according to you is the next big thing that will define IT marketing in 2016?
Insight driven marketing will define the future, from the transparency that clients crave to a superior customer experience that they deserve. It will integrate channels, filter noise and help marketers create lasting customer engagement.
For clients who are already bombarded with information, anything that isn’t relevant, is annoying. 2016 will see marketers move from the annoying, deliver content that seamlessly blends itself with user experience and in the process identify true brand ambassadors. Both internal and external.
Insight driven marketing also means better conversion rates and tighter sales and marketing integration, so expect to see marketing budgets increase.
Two ways in which the digital lives of people, things and organization are impacting the way companies are marketing to them?
The digital universe and the increased accessibility means a shift of power from branded content to user-generated content. From online reviews, to social media posts and blogs, this means there is a strong need for organizations to connect with their clients and employees on a human level.
Connected homes, connected cars and the always connected consumer means multiple channels, multiple opportunities for brand exposure. As a short term tactic, collecting impressions sounds good but in the longer term you’d want these to add up to more than its sum. Successful marketers will use these opportunities to tell a story.
How has sales function transformed in the changing times w.r.t. to changing consumers and organizations?
Sales is having to quickly adapt – to be able to use the information always available at their fingertips and to modify their approach to lead to faster conversions. They are now expected to be able to connect with and engage customers both online and offline. At Capgemini we have enabled our sales teams on a social platform we call Expert Connect. We also use insight driven CRM platforms like Salesforce and Pardot to make the process structured – that is another skill the field force has to add to their repertoire.
Availability of information and real-time social engagement also brings in the need for transparency. 2016 and beyond will thus see greater sales and marketing integration which will be crucial to the success of both functions.
How do you see the role of IT marketer changing in the coming year and what has been the transition that you are already witnessing?
Expectations from the marketing function are higher, we are being asked to take revenue targets and demonstrate a connection between the brand and profitability. The core expectation from marketing remains the same – the ability to create a pull for products and services and to shift the demand in a more profitable direction in the long run. However, the science proportion, of the art-science balance, has increased. We are more targeted and relevant than ever before and the business demands to see the return on investment.
Profile: Mani Dasgupta, VP, Chief Marketing Officer – North America at Capgemini
She is also a speaker at Great Indian IT Marketing Summit & Awards 2016.
